Hold My Sweet Tea
Where True Crime collides with chilling ghost stories and Southern folklore. Join us, sip sweet tea, and uncover shocking tales of murder, mystery, and the supernatural, all with a healthy dose of Southern charm and a touch of sass!
Hold My Sweet Tea
Ep. 61-Walking Tall Tale: The Death of Pauline Pusser Reinvestigated
The legend of Sheriff Buford Pusser has captivated Americans for generations. The tough-as-nails Tennessee lawman who "walked tall" against crime and corruption became the stuff of Hollywood legend. But what if everything we thought we knew about this American hero was built on lies?
After nearly six decades, forensic science has finally caught up with the truth behind one of the most shocking cold cases in Southern history. When Sheriff Pusser's wife Pauline was killed in what he described as an ambush on a dark country road in 1967, few questioned his account. After all, he was the celebrated crime-fighter who had survived multiple assassination attempts while cleaning up McNairy County. The case remained officially unsolved—until now. Maybe?
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation recently exhumed Pauline's body, leading to a stunning revelation that has shattered the Pusser legacy. Modern forensic analysis suggests she wasn't killed in an ambush at all. Evidence indicates she was shot outside the car and placed inside afterward. Even more damning, the gunshot wound on Pusser's face appears to be close-contact, possibly self-inflicted. Add to this newly uncovered evidence of domestic violence, and the picture that emerges is starkly different from the heroic narrative we've accepted for decades.
We dive deep into this fascinating case, examining the evidence that has investigators convinced that if Pusser were alive today, he would face murder charges. We explore the family's divided reactions, from Pauline's brother finding closure to Pusser's granddaughter defending his legacy. How do we reconcile the heroic image of a man who inspired multiple films with evidence suggesting he may have murdered his own wife? This episode challenges everything you thought you knew about one of America's most celebrated lawmen and reminds us that sometimes the people tasked with upholding justice are hiding the darkest secrets of all.
Source Material:
El-Bawab, Nadine and Fual, Alexandra, August 30, 2025, Famed Tennessee sheriff who inspired Hollywood movie "Walking Tall", implicated in wife's murder, https://abcnews.go.com/US/famed-sheriff-inspired-walking-tall-movie-implicated-wifes/story?id=125126955
Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, 2025, Sheriff Buford Pusser Home and Museum, https://www.tnvacation.com/local/adamsville-sheriff-buford-pusser-home-museum
CBS News, August 31, 2025, Famed Tennessee sheriff who inspired Hollywood movie killed his wife in 1967, investigators say, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sheriff-buford-pusser-movie-walking-tall-killed-wife-1967-investigators-say/
Rogers, Ricky, August 11, 2023, Nashville then: Folk hero Buford Passer in his hometown and trip here in August 1973 https://www.tennessean.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2023/08/11/nashville-then-look-back-at-folk-hero-buford-pusser-in-august-of-1973/70559679007/